Northrop Grumman Corporation $NOC Holdings Boosted by CX Institutional

Key Points

• CX Institutional increased its Northrop Grumman stake by 1,146.4% in the third quarter, bringing its holdings to 15,194 shares valued at approximately $7.35 million. Institutional investors collectively own 83.4% of NOC.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $647.57, though several firms recently lowered their targets amid concerns about growth and margins.
• Northrop Grumman reported quarterly EPS of $7.68, beating estimates of $6.82, while revenue rose 5.1% year over year to $10.88 billion. The company also pays a quarterly dividend of $2.47 per share, equivalent to a 2.1% annual yield.

CX Institutional grew its holdings in Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC - Free Report) by 1,146.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 15,194 shares of the aerospace company's stock after acquiring an additional 13,975 shares during the period. CX Institutional's holdings in Northrop Grumman were worth $7,346,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of NOC. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in Northrop Grumman in the 1st quarter worth approximately $30,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Northrop Grumman by 380.0% in the first quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 48 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. Perkins Coie Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of Northrop Grumman during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Plato Investment Management Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Northrop Grumman in the second quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Phillip James Consulting Co. bought a new stake in Northrop Grumman in the fourth quarter worth $34,000. 83.40% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have commented on NOC shares. Morgan Stanley set a $745.00 price objective on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. Guggenheim began coverage on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research report on Monday, September 14th. They set a "buy" rating and a $612.00 target price on the stock. Susquehanna lowered their price target on shares of Northrop Grumman from $785.00 to $655.00 and set a "positive" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on Northrop Grumman from $620.00 to $580.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, June 26th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $620.00 price objective on shares of Northrop Grumman in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $647.57.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Northrop Grumman news, Director Mark Welsh, III sold 95 shares of Northrop Grumman stock in a transaction on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $547.53, for a total value of $52,015.35. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 4,393 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,405,299.29. The trade was a 2.12% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.21% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Northrop Grumman Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:NOC opened at $479.95 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $68.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.83 and a beta of -0.11. Northrop Grumman Corporation has a 52 week low of $470.06 and a 52 week high of $774.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $537.74 and a 200 day moving average of $568.33.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The aerospace company reported $7.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.82 by $0.86. The business had revenue of $10.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $10.80 billion. Northrop Grumman had a return on equity of 24.25% and a net margin of 10.48%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $8.15 EPS. Northrop Grumman has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.600-29.100 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Northrop Grumman Corporation will post 28.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Northrop Grumman Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Investors of record on Monday, August 31st were given a dividend of $2.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 31st. This represents a $9.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. Northrop Grumman's dividend payout ratio is presently 31.39%.

Key Stories Impacting Northrop Grumman

Here are the key news stories impacting Northrop Grumman this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Northrop Grumman unveiled FORTITUDE™, a U.S.-built gallium nitride chip designed to process broad portions of the electromagnetic spectrum while delivering three times more power and 20 times better signal quality. The technology could support satellites, radar, GPS, electronic warfare and future 6G systems, although the release did not identify specific contracts or near-term revenue opportunities. Meet FORTITUDE: The Single Chip Supercharging Data Speed and System Performance
• Neutral Sentiment: RBC expects Northrop’s revenue growth to be roughly in line with defense-industry peers, with approximately 6% annual sales growth from 2026 through 2028 potentially representing a best-case scenario. The outlook suggests stable demand, but limited acceleration despite elevated U.S. defense spending. Northrop Grumman Growth Limited by Defense Spending, Margin Risks, RBC Says
• Negative Sentiment: RBC downgraded NOC to Sector Perform and reduced its price target by $115, citing a lower growth outlook, defense-budget constraints and potential margin risks. The downgrade reinforces investor concern that Northrop’s earnings growth may slow after a substantial recent decline in the stock. RBC Downgrades Northrop Grumman to Sector Perform
• Negative Sentiment: Boeing’s selection for the Navy’s roughly $20 billion F/A-XX fighter development contract removed a potentially significant future growth opportunity for Northrop Grumman. Although NOC retains a large backlog, the loss has increased concerns about its program mix and long-term revenue expansion. Boeing’s Fighter Victory Opens the Door to Decades of Defense Revenue

Northrop Grumman Company Profile

Northrop Grumman Corporation NYSE: NOC is a global aerospace and defense company that develops and produces systems for government and commercial customers, with the U.S. Department of Defense and other government agencies representing its primary markets. Its work spans advanced aircraft, autonomous systems, space systems, missile defense, command and control, cybersecurity, and other mission-critical technologies.

The company's offerings include strategic and tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, aircraft systems, satellites, spacecraft, launch vehicles, missile-warning and missile-defense systems, secure communications, and cyber and information systems.

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